SAN ANTONIO — UTSA baseball got a little help from its opponent as Wichita State University registered a season-high seven errors in the Roadrunners’ 12-7 win on Saturday at Roadrunner Field.
Coming into this matchup, the Shockers (26-21, 10-9 American) led the American Conference in fielding errors with 62. Evidently, a tree falls the way it leans, as Wichita State’s fielding struggles flared up during its series opener against the Roadrunners (31-14, 13-6 American). In UTSA’s first-inning six-spot, four of those runs were unearned. The Roadrunners’ offense fell dormant over the next four innings before erupting for six runs in the sixth, once again backed by the Shockers’ infield miscues. Junior Connor Kelley pitched five scoreless to secure the win.
“We didn’t play very good,” coach Pat Hallmark said after the game. “Happy to win doesn’t quite capture it for me. Grateful to win probably captures it more. Wichita State didn’t deserve to win either. We need to play better ball, win or lose. We’re not going to win an American Conference Championship playing like that. We need to make some adjustments.”
After a three-run top half of the first, UTSA responded with six of its own, initiated by an RBI single from junior outfielder Lane Haworth. Graduate catcher Andrew Stucky followed with an RBI single into left field before sophomore outfielder Christian Hallmark picked up a groundout RBI. Junior infielder Diego Diaz lifted an RBI double into right-center field, and sophomore infielder Jordan Ballin closed out the inning with a two-run RBI single into left.
Wichita State reestablished its lead across the next three innings as the UTSA offense struggled against starting pitcher Matthew Cuccias.
A Shockers’ throwing error kickstarted the Roadrunners’ six-run sixth inning as Christian Hallmark drove in sophomore utility Caden Miller before senior outfielder Drew Detlefsen scored on a misfire from Wichita State infielder Zeb Henry. In the next at-bat, senior infielder Cade Sadler reached on a throwing error, driving in Stucky, unearned. Diaz ripped a two-run triple on the next play, followed by a Ballin RBI bunt to cap off the inning.
UTSA added an insurance run in the seventh as senior outfielder Brandon Bishop scored Detlefsen with an infield RBI.
Senior pitcher Gunnar Brown got the start for UTSA, allowing six hits, seven runs and tossing five strikeouts. Kelley checked in for relief in top of the fourth and stymied Wichita State for the remainder of the contest.
“Connor is good,” Pat Hallmark affirmed. “He was normal Kelley [today]. He’s a competitive person, just got those good heaters. He landed some off-speed pitches later once he had to face that lineup the second and third time. Kelley’s been steady for us.”
Detlefsen, Diaz and Miller tied for the lead in hits with two apiece while Diaz and Ballin paced the team in RBIs with three each.
Game two of UTSA v. Wichita State is set for approximately 6:35 p.m. Saturday at Roadrunner Field.
